National Environmental Management Authority has set record
for taking bold step to curb massive environmental pollution emanating from use
of plastic bags. This affirms its ability to ensure sound environmental
stewardship by ensuring right policies and guidelines are in place. The bans
which come to effect on 28th August 2017 beckons a great future for
clean, safe and sound environment however the ball is in the enforcement court
to ensure the ban taking root accordingly 
Plastic
products have been used for industrial and household packaging for decades and
their bag will have significant impact in days to come. In industries plastic
bags have formed the core of packaging for the household consumable items,
shopping malls, retail shops and supermarkets are the main distributors of the
plastics bags to the end users. Once at the end user, plastic bags which are
non-biodegradable pose disposal challenge and end up in the available disposal
channels including dumpsite and compost pits. Due to their light weight they
are easily brown by wind are there pollution of mammoth proportion starts.
Effects of plastic bags to the pollution
Once
deposited to the environment, plastic bags find their way to the water supply
and drainage systems whereby the clog the supply leading to disconnection of
utility supplies and pollution once drainage system has been clogged. There
removal is costly in time and monetary value. Sewage blockage escalates to
health threat as other diseases associated with poor sewage disposal crops up.
Plastic bags either lead to soil infertility, once the bags find their way to
arable land; they affect moisture and nutrition supplies for the crops
resulting to reduced yield. Livestock, wildlife and aquatic life are at danger
of poor plastic bag disposal at they end up in their digestive system resulting
to poor health which can result to death. Plastic bags poorly disposed creates
are unpleasant scenery and breeding ground for disease transmitting insect such
as mosquito as water accumulates in the inside the bags.
Conclusion
By affecting
the ban on the use of plastic, National Environmental Management Authority has rededicated
its efforts in ensuring health environment for all is a right and not a
privilege and deserves ululations and praise and not criticism
Long live
NEMA
